Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



No. 869,337. PATENTED OUT. 29. 1907. G. P. STODDARD. PNEUMATIC DESPATOHTUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1906.

4 SHBETSSHEET 1.

rm: NORRIS PEYERS co.. wasmuuron, n! u 4 SHEETSSHEET 2 No. 869,387.PATENTBD OCT. 29. 1907. C. F. STODDARD. PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBEAPPARATUS.

APPLICATION I'ILED JULY 28, 1906.

m2 mamas psrsres co.. WA: ura'v No. 869,337. PATENTED OCT. 29, 1907. 0-.F. STODDARD. DESPATOH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLIQ AV'EIO-N FILED JULY 28, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

4 flaw THE NORRIS PETERS co. WASHINGTON, D. c

No. 869,337. PATENTED 0011.29. 1907. 0. F. STODDARD. PNEUMATIC DESPATGHTUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

5 MN WWW/. 5

m: NORRIS PETERS 4:04, WASHINGTON n, c.

UNITED STATES OlElEllClE.

CHARLES E. STODDARD, Ol BOSTON, MASSAGEUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMEltlOAN lNlYUMATlC SERVICE COMPANY, OF DOVER, DELUYARE, A (JOltlOltAlllON OFDELAWARE.

PNEUTLEATIC-DESPATCH-TUBE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Application filed July 28. 1906- Serlal No. 328.195.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, (".imatins F. S'ronoano, ol .l5os ton in the countyof Suffolk and State ol Massachusetts, have invented certain new andusel'ul lmprovcments in Pneumatic-Despatch-Tube \pparatus, ol which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in receiving terminals forpneumatic despatch tube apparatus, and especially to a device forcontrolling the position ol the carrier between the gates until thelront or outer gate is wide open ready to discharge the carrier.

1n the accompanying drawings which illustrate a construction embodyingmy invention, Figure l is a longitudinal section of the double-sluicegate closed receiver showing the dil't'erent members ol the terminal intheir relative positions when the terminal is ready to receive thecarrier. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same terminal showingthe dit't'erent members in their relative positions just alter a carrierhas entered the terminal. Fig. .3 is a longitudinal section ol the sameterminal showing the dil'lereut members in their relative positionsalter a carrier has entered the terminal and the back gate is closed butthe front gate has not opened. Fig. l is a longitudinal section ol thesame terminal showing the dil'lerent members in their relative positionsas the terminal is discharging a carrier.

Like letters oi reference reler to like parts throughout the severalviews:

The main transmission tube is located in alinement with the ct'miinession or receiving chamber A of the terminal and beyond the slottedeasing A through which the pressure passes into the returntube A.Located on the upper side ol the compresy sion or receiving chamber r\-'is the cylinder l) connected with the compression or receiving chamber Aby the pipes C and O and located within said eylinder .is the piston D",connected by the rod 1) with the piston valve 1) which in turn connectedby the rod D to the rod D by the pivot joint D, The rod D is pivotallyconnected with the linger I) at E and this linger l) swings on thebracket 1i to which it is pivotally connected at E and said lingerextends into the path of travel of the discharging carrier (Fig. 23).

The air supply for operating the inner and outer gates l5 and B" in theterminal enters through the pipe 0 into the valve casing l) and isconveyed to the tops of the inner and outer cylinders ii and ll by thepipes C and 0-, and operates the pistons I1 and [3 to which arerespectively connected the gates it and I end of the cylinder D as shownin Fig. 2. This movement oi the-piston l)' moves the piston valve 1)l'rom the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2 and alsomoves the linger D into the position shown in Fig. 2.

The air supply entering the valve casing D through the pipe 0 passesthrough the pipe 0 to the upper side of the piston 15" in the cylinder15 and closes the gate l5. As the piston 13" reaches the lower end ofthe cylinder ll, it passes the port 1 which admits the pressure-to theunder side of the piston B in the cylinder B through the pipe O. Thispressure raises the piston .15 to the upper side 01' the cylinder Bcausing the raising ol' the gate 13'' which is connected to piston l) bythe piston rod 13. From the return tube A is a pipe or by-pass Q leadingto the compression or receiving chamber A". The opening in this pipe Qis controlled by the buttcrlly valve Q pivoted at Q and operated by thepiston rod O which is secured to the piston Q" which operates in thecylinder Q The hunt side ol the cylinder Q is connected with the pipe Qby means of the port P on the side of the butterlly valve Q nearest thecompression or receiving chamber A The opposite side 01' the cylinder Qis connected by the pipe Q to the cylinder 13 anti this pipe Q entersthe cylinder 13 at a point l which is just below the under side of thepiston 13- when the piston 15 is in its extreme upper position as shownin Fig. l. The spring S tends to force the piston Q" into the positionshown in Fig. 1.

lclerring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the pressure coming throughthe pipe G into the valve casing l) is transmitted through the pipe (Ito the upper side-cl the cylinder 13 and through the pipe Q to thecylinder Q tending to hold the piston Q in the position shown in Fig. l,and the pressure in the receiving chamber A is connnunicated to theopposite side oi the piston Q through port 1, and as the pressure in thereceiving chamber A and the supply pipe O are the same, the piston Q" isin balance as far as the pressure on either side of it is concerned, andthe spring S holds it; in the position shown in Fig. l.

\\'hen the carrier enters the terminal, the valve D is thrown into theposition shown in Fig. 2 as before explained, and the top ol thecylinder i5" is connected to the atmosphere through the pipe 0 and thevalve case .D, the ends of which are open to the atmosphere. Thepressure in the side of the cylinder to which the pipe Q is attached isalways the same as at the point in the cylinder lf where the pipe Q"enters the same, so that as soon as a carrier enters the terminal andthe pressure in the upper part of the cylinder B is reduced toatmospheric pressure, the pressure on the side of the cylinder Q towhich the pipe Q is attached, is also reduced to atmospheric. As thepiston Q was already in the )osition shown in Fig. 1 this reduction I )ie R with the back end of the receivin chamber A s l 1 l P a:

of the pressure on the side of the cylinder Q to which the pipe Q isattached, does not change the position of the piston Q but allows the prssure in the pipe Q which is the same as in the receiving chamber A toaugment the pressure ot' the spring S and tends to hold the piston Qmore securely to the side ol the cylinder Q onwhich the pipe Q isattached. As soon as the gate B is closed, communication between thetrans mission tube A and the receiving chamber A is shut off.Communication between the return tube A and the receiving chamber A isalready closed by the butterfly valve Q in the pipe .Q. As soon as thegate 13 opens slightly, the pressure in the receiving chamber A isprecipitated into the atmosphere through this slight opening and thepressure in the part oi the tube Q on the side of the butterfly valve Qnearest the receiving chamber A is also reduced to atmospheric. Thepiston Q is now in balance as far as the pressure is concerned and thespring S holds it in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When thepiston 13'" reaches the position shown in Fig. 4, the gate B entirelyopens the passage between the receiving chamber A and the table A*. Whenthe piston B is in its uppermost position, the pressure under the pistonB is communicated to the cylinder Q through the pipe Q and the piston Q"is forced into the position shown in Fig. 4 thereby opening thebutterfly valve Q and admitting pressure from the return tube A to thereceiving chamber A back of the carrier, and this pressure dischargesthe carrier lrom the receiving chamber A onto the table A.

In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 3, the linger D is in thepath oi the carrier which strikes it as it comes onto the table A. Thislinger D moves the piston D from the position shown in Fig. 2 to thatshown in Fig. 1 thereby opening the pipe G to the at mosphere to allowthe pressure in it and the cylinder B to exhaust to the atmosphere. Thepressure in the pipe C then passes through the pipe 0 to the cylinder Babove the piston B and forces it down into the position shown'in Fig. 1.As the piston B reaches the lower end 01' the cylinder l5 it passes theport I which allows the pressure to pass through the pipe C to the undersideot the piston l3" in the cylinder B, thereby raising the piston B tothe position shown in Figs] which places the apparatus in a position toreceive another carrier, and the pressure on each side of the piston Qbeing equal, the spring S throws the piston Q to the position shown in Fig. l and the counterweight Q attached to the butterfly valve Q returnsthe butterfly valve Q to the position shown in Fig. 1. The pipe 0 isconnected with the cylinder 1)" and is for the purpose of balancing thepiston D when the machine is not in operation, and is in communicationwith the inner end of the receiving chamber A-'. A is a suitable bumperto stop the carrier as it reaches the end of the table A. E is the floorline. A A, A and A are suitable supports.

The operation and construction so far described are similar to thatshown and described in my application Serial No. 328,194 filed July 28,1906.

The pipe R is connected on one side with the pipe Q between thebutterfly valve Q and the receiving chamber A This is an indirect meansof connecting the At the other end,-the pipe it is connected with theatmosphere through the valve R which is controlled by the piston R whichoperates in the cylinder R The spring S tends to hold the piston R inthe position shown in Fig. l. The side of the cylinder R upon which isplaced the spring S is connected with the top oi the cylinder B throughthe pipe R to the pipe Q The opposite side of the cylinder R isconnected with the lower side oi the cylinder B by the pipe R whichenters the cylinder 13 at a point just above the piston B when it is inthe position shown in Fig. 3. When this receiving terminal is used at apoint of the pneumatic tube line where the pressure is excessively high,a condition arises which is not met with except under high pressure, andthis condition is as follows: After the carrier is stopped in thereceiving chamber, as shown in Fig. 3, the pressure, both in iront oithe carrier and back the carrier, is the same. When the gate 13 reachesthe position shown in Fig. 3, the pressure in iront oi the carrier andback of the carrier, provided there is no valve R is the same as in thetransmission tube A. As soon as the front or outer gate l3 opensslightly, the pressure in Iront oi the carrier is dissipated into theatmosphere, and the air back oi the carrier which is at the samepressure (as before explained,) as in the transmission tube A, suddenlyexpands and forces the carrier against the gate 13 beiore the gate B canrise to the position shown in Fig. 4 to allow the carrier to dischargeunder it. It is to overcome the striking of the carrier against thisgate that the valve R is placed in the position shown.

The operation oi the valve R is as iollows: When the terminal is in itsnormal position as shown in Fig. 1, the pressure in the pipe Q which incommunication with the upper end of the cylinder 13" is the same as thepressure in the pipe R which is in communication with the lower side ofthe cylinder B and the piston R is in balance as far as the pressure isconcerned. The valve R, however, is held to its seat by the pressurefrom the receiving chamber A and by the spring S When a carrier entersthe terminal and throws the valve D to the position shownin Fig. 2, thepressure in the pipe R through Q and the pipe R5 is reduced toatmospheric, leaving the piston R still in balance. When the piston Breaches the position shown in Fig. 3, the pressure on top 01' the pistonB is communicated through the pi e R to the side ol the piston R whichis nearest the valve R and this pressure throws the piston R to theposition shown in Fig. 3, thcreb y opening the valve R and reducing thepressure in the rear end oi the receiving chamber A to atmospheric. Atpractically the same instant the gate 13 opens, thereby allowing'thepressure in iront oi the carrier to precipitate into the atmosphere andreducing the pressure in lront oi' the carrier to atmospheric pressure,thereby leaving the carrier in balance with no tendency to iorce itagainst the gate B while it is opening. When the piston B reaches theposition shown. in Fig. i, the pressure under the piston B passesthrough the pipe Q to the pipe R to the side oi the piston R on which islocated the spring S thereby bringing the piston R into balance as faras pressure is concerned. The spring S then throws the piston R into theposition shown in Fig. 1 closing the valve B. At this same instant, thepressure in the pipe Q forces the piston Q into the position shown inFig. 4 and the carrier is discharged upon the table, as beforeexplained, by the pressure from the tube A through the pipe or bypass Q.

Having thus described the nature of my invention and set forth aconstruction embodying the same, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent oi the United States:

1. In an apparatus oi the character described, a trans mission tube, aterminal communicating with said tube, an inner and an outer gateclosing the same. a source of air pressure for operating said gates, atby-pass ior leading, the pressure of the transit tube to the terminalbetween said gates, a valve controlling said hy-pass, an opening iroinsaid by-pass to the atmosphere, a valve controlling said air opening andadapted to open to relieve the pressure behind the carrier in theterminal upon the closing oi the inner gate and to close upon theopening oi the outer gate, and mechanism for operating said bypass valveto admit the pressure of the transit. tube to the terminal to discha-ige a carrier upon the outer gate reaching its open Di, ition.

. In an apparatus oi the character described, a transit tube, a terminalcommunicating with said tube, an inner and an outer gate closing thesame, an inner and an outer cylinder each having a piston connected tosaid gates, at source oi airpressure tor operating said pi :ous,communication between said cylinders and lid source oi. air pressure, avalve for opening and closing said communication to each cylinderalternately, mechanism operated by the pressure in the tube for normallyclosing communication between said source oi compressed air and theinner cylinder, :1 connection between the inner cylinder and the outercylinder for leading the pressure from the outer cylinderto the innercylinder to open the inner gate after the outer gate is closed, aby-pass leaving the pressure oi the transit tube to the terminal betweensaid gates. a valve control ling said hy-pass, an opening iroin saidby-pass to the atmosphere, a valve controlling said air opening andadapted to open to relieve the pressure behind the carrier in theterminal upon the closing oi the inner gate and to close upon theopening of the outer gate, and mechanism ior operating said by-pa s toadmit the pressure oi the transit. tube to the terminal to discharge acarrier upon the outer gate reaching its open position.

:2. in an apparatus oi the character described, a trans mission tube, aterminal communicating with said tube, an inner and an outer gateclosingthe same, an inner and an outer cylinder each having a pistonconnected t0 said gates, a source oi air pressure [or operating saidpistons, communication between said cylinders and s: d source oi airpressure, a valve for opening and closing id communicaiion to eachcylinder alternately, mechanism operated by the pressure in the tube [ornormally closing communication between said source oi compressed air andthe inner cylinder, mechanism operated by air compressed by the carrierfor operating said valve to open communicaiion between said source 01comprcsscd air and the inner cylinder to close the inner gate and toclose communh tion between said source of compressed air and the outercylinder to open the outer gate. a connection between the inner cvlinderand the outer cylinder for leading, the pressure ironi the outer:ylindcr to the inner iinder to open the inner gate aiter the outer gateis closed, a by-pass lor leading the pressure oi the transit tube to theterminal between said gates, a valve controlling said by-pnss, anopening from said by-pass lo the atmosphere, a valve controlling saidair opening ainl adapted to open to relieve the pressure behind thecarrier in the terminal upon the closing oi the inner gate and to closeupon the opening of the outer gate, and mechanism [or operating saidby-pass valve to admit the pressure 01 the transit tube to the terminalto discharge a carrier upon the outer gate reaching its open position.

i. in an apparatus 01 the character described, a trans mission tube. aterminal communicating' with said tube, an inner and an outer gateclosing the same, an inner and an outer cylinder each having a pistonconnected to said gates, a source or air pressure [or operating saidpistons, cominnnication between said cylinders and said source 01 airpressure, a valve [or opening and closing said communi cation to eachcylinder alternately, mechanism operated by the pressure in the tube [ornormally closing communication between said source oi compressed air andthe iuiicr cyliinler, connections between said cylinders for leading thepressure.therei'rom alternately to one another, a bypass for leading theprt ure oi the transit tube to the ierminal between said gates, a valvecontrolling said hypass. an opening iroin said by-pass to theatmosphere, a valve controlling said air o 'lening and adapted to opento relieve the pressure hehiinl the carrier in the terminal upon theclosing ot the inner gate and to close upon the opening oi the outergate. and mechanism for operating said bypass valve to admit thepressure oi the transit lube to the terminal to discharge a carrier uponthe outer gale reaching its open position,

'3. in an apparatus of the character described, a transmission tube. aterminal communicating with said tube, an inner and an outer galeclosing the same, an inner and an outer cylinder each having a pistonconnected to said gates. a source oi air pressure for operating saidpistons, conununication between said cylinders and said source of airpressure, a valve for opening and closing said commu nication to eachcylinder alternately, mechanism operated by the pressure in the tube fornormally closing communi cation between said source oi compressed airand the inner cylinder, mechanism operated by air compressed by thecarrier [or operating said valve to open communication between saidsource oi compressed air and the inner cylinder to close the inner gateand to close communication between said source oi compressed air and theouter cylinder to open the outer gate, a connection between the innercylinder and the outer cylinder ior leading the pres sure irom the innercylinder to the outer cylinder aiter the inner gate is closed to openthe outer sale. a hy-pass ior leading ilic pressure oi the transit tubeto the terminal between said gates. a valve controlling said by-pa anopening iroin said by-pass to the aimosphcre, a valve con trolling saidair opening; and adapicd to open to relieve the pressure bchiml thecarrier in the terminal upon the closingoi the inner gate and to closeupon the. opening oi the outer gate, and mechanism for operating saidbypass valve to admit the pressure oi the transit tube to the terminalio discharge a carrier upon the outer gate reaching its open position.

in testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this spcciiicaiion in thepresence oi iwo subscribing witnesses, this twcnly-iirsl day oi .luly A.ll. ilili'lil.

iilAltliblS

